Some TSFR CBO members and James Gore, NRCS assistant chief, toured Henry Day’s farm in Millican, Tex. Day highlighted benefits he has reaped from NRCS’ Environmental Quality Incentives Program, which includes conservation practices such as grass planting, cross fencing and pond establishment.

As a young adult, Henry Day of Millican, Tex. left his family’s ranch and spent years living and working in Houston, returning frequently to visit throughout the years. Upon his retirement, he came back for good and began his grassroots journey to restore the long-neglected soils and pastures on the ranch.

Day ranches on 157 acres, which his grandfather purchased in the mid-1800s. Nutrient-deficient soils and visible erosion problems made it an intimidating prospect, as did the overgrown pastures, which were covered in mesquite, weeds and thick underbrush.

“I had to come in and clean up everything before I could start doing anything,” Day recalls.

He credits Wade Ross, state director of the Texas Small Farmers and Ranchers Community Based Organization, who has spent hours with him on the ranch, his fellow CBO members and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service’s technical and financial assistance with guiding and educating him about best management conservation practices that have helped restore the ranch’s soils and forages.

Wade Ross, state director, Texas Small Farmers and Ranchers Community Based Organization and James Gore, Natural Resources Conservation Service Assistant Chief, visited recently at the CBO’s state headquarters in Navasota, Tex.

NRCS has helped him implement conservation practices such as planting grass on pastures, adding cross fencing to pastures to allow for rotational grazing of livestock and creating a pond for watering the cattle. Day has participated in Farm Bill programs such as NRCS’ Environmental Quality Incentives Program.

Day met the land restoration challenges one at a time and with patience. And his focused, hard work has paid off: today his ranch has healthy, productive soils and open pastures and forages for his livestock to graze on.

“That information from NRCS was the best information that any farmer or rancher can get anywhere in the state of Texas. I know, because this is a very good program and all you have to do is follow the directions that they give you, and it pays off. It works,” Day says.

Some TSFR CBO members and James Gore, NRCS assistant chief, toured Henry Day’s farm in Millican, Tex. Day highlighted benefits he has reaped from NRCS’ Environmental Quality Incentives Program, which includes conservation practices such as grass planting, cross fencing and pond establishment.